Peace of mind for utilities and their customers means that power is always there at the flick of a switch or the push of a button. System reliability is a top priority. Around the globe, Dow Electrical & Telecommunications (Dow E&T) is working together with cable manufacturers to urge utilities to "move a little earth" in support of the concept of intelligent undergrounding of electrical infrastructure across all voltage classes.

While underground (UG) installation has long been used for medium voltage (MV) power distribution, high voltage (HV) and extra-high voltage (EHV) transmission UG projects are also becoming more prevalent as well. The benefits of UG installation can be game-changing in reducing or eliminating outages due to severe weather, vandalism or other physical threats, reduced maintenance versus overhead lines (OHL) and in lower total ownership cost over the life of the cable.

"The concept of intelligent undergrounding is simply this: to bury cable where and when it makes sense – even in combination with OHL," said Damien Polansky, Global Strategic Marketing Director, Dow Electrical & Telecommunications. "In addition to threats like weather, theft and high maintenance costs, UG cable installation should be considered where there is large congestion of OHL, areas of aesthetic or scenic interest, or near streets and roads with a high volume of traffic."

Quality practices are crucial to cable reliability – from raw materials through compounding and cable manufacturing. In North America (NA) alone, transmission cables made with DOW ENDURANCE™ HV compounds have been installed in 324 projects managed by 70+ utilities and municipalities over the past 15 years, for a total of more than 7 million feet of UG electric infrastructure. And, as reported by the manufacturer, there have been zero cable failures to date. Globally, since 1983, DOW ENDURANCE™ MV compounds have been used in enough UG distribution cables to go around the world more than 80 times.

Dow E&T has state-of-the-art compounding facilities in Europe and North America, enabling global sourcing for cable manufacturers and their customers. To support the projected growth of HV installations in NA, which are expected to be $236MM by 2015*, Dow is also investing in its Seadrift, Texas facility through upgraded production control, improved packaging and logistics operations and enhanced quality.

"Dow E&T is proud of its relationships with manufacturers of quality power cables around the world," continued Polansky. "Working together with our customers and throughout the value chain, we are helping the industry understand the correlation between quality practices and UG cable reliability. We are committed to advocating UG installation where it makes sense for both new and refurbished infrastructure – all with the aim of delivering the peace of mind that comes with reliability that utilities worldwide can count on for decades to come."

About Dow Electrical & Telecommunications

Dow Electrical & Telecommunications, a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”), is a leading global provider of products, technology, solutions and knowledge that sets standards for reliability, longevity, efficiency, ease of installation and protection that the power and telecommunications industries can count on in the transmission, distribution and consumption of power, voice and data. Understanding that collaboration is essential to success, Dow E&T works together with cable makers, other industry suppliers, utilities, municipalities, testing institutes and other organizations around the world to help develop solutions and create mutual value that will sustain these industries for years to come.

About Dow

Dow (NYSE: DOW) combines the power of science and technology to passionately innovate what is essential to human progress. The Company connects chemistry and innovation with the principles of sustainability to help address many of the world's most challenging problems such as the need for clean water, renewable energy generation and conservation, and increasing agricultural productivity. Dow's diversified industry-leading portfolio of specialty chemical, advanced materials, agrosciences and plastics businesses delivers a broad range of technology-based products and solutions to customers in approximately 160 countries and in high growth sectors such as electronics, water, energy, coatings and agriculture. In 2012, Dow had annual sales of $57 billion and employed approximately 54,000 people worldwide. The Company's more than 5,000 products are manufactured at 188 sites in 36 countries across the globe. References to "Dow" or the "Company" mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted. More information about Dow can be found at http://www.dow.com/

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